Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41622275›Full record

ArticleEuropean archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery2026

Assessment of self-reported driving ability in patients with bilateral vestibulopathy: Using generic and disease-specific questionnaires.

Julie Moyaert, Marie-Hélène Uwents, Paul Van de Heyning, Annick Gilles, Olivier Vanderveken, Marc J W Lammers, Griet Mertens, Angelica Pérez-Fornos, Nils Guinand, Raymond van de Berg and 3 more

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Article in European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Julie MoyaertDept. of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, Antwerp University Hospital, Drie Eikenstraat 655, 2650 Edegem, Antwerp, Belgium. julie.moyaert@uza.be.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3383-5421
Marie-Hélène UwentsDept. of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, Antwerp University Hospital, Drie Eikenstraat 655, 2650 Edegem, Antwerp, Belgium.
Paul Van de HeyningDept. of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, Antwerp University Hospital, Drie Eikenstraat 655, 2650 Edegem, Antwerp, Belgium.
Annick GillesDept. of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, Antwerp University Hospital, Drie Eikenstraat 655, 2650 Edegem, Antwerp, Belgium.
Olivier VandervekenDept. of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, Antwerp University Hospital, Drie Eikenstraat 655, 2650 Edegem, Antwerp, Belgium.
Marc J W LammersDept. of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, Antwerp University Hospital, Drie Eikenstraat 655, 2650 Edegem, Antwerp, Belgium.
Griet MertensDept. of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, Antwerp University Hospital, Drie Eikenstraat 655, 2650 Edegem, Antwerp, Belgium.
Angelica Pérez-FornosService of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland.
Nils GuinandService of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland.
Raymond van de BergDivision of Balance Disorders, Dept. of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Tom BrijsUHasselt, School of Transportation Sciences, Transportation Research Institute (IMOB), Hasselt, Belgium.
Veerle RossUHasselt, School of Transportation Sciences, Transportation Research Institute (IMOB), Hasselt, Belgium.
Vincent Van RompaeyDept. of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, Antwerp University Hospital, Drie Eikenstraat 655, 2650 Edegem, Antwerp, Belgium.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND

aimBilateral vestibulopathy (BV) is a rare disorder characterized by loss of vestibular function, leading to unsteadiness and blurred vision during head movements, particularly in visually challenging settings such as driving. Although difficulties with driving have been suggested in BV patients, this pilot study aims to further explore and quantify self-reported driving ability and behavior in this population using both generic and disease-specific questionnaires.

methodsTwenty adults with confirmed BV (mean age 61.6 years) were recruited from a tertiary center. Participants completed a novel disease-specific questionnaire, developed collaboratively by ENT specialists and driving research experts to identify traffic situations that are particularly challenging for patients with BV. In addition, they completed the Driver Behavior Questionnaire (DBQ) and the Multidimensional Driving Style Inventory (MDSI). Participants also rated their driving competence and reported on crash involvement and traffic violations.

resultsMost patients reported little difficulty while driving in familiar daytime environments but experienced challenges during night driving, in poor weather conditions, on uneven roads, and while multitasking. Ordinary violations were the most common maladaptive behaviors per the DBQ, though errors and lapses were rare. The MDSI showed patient and careful driving styles predominated, with anxious and distress-reduction styles reported by a minority. Only one patient attributed a traffic accident to BV, and few reported recent violations.

conclusionBV patients mostly adopt safe, adaptive driving behaviors, a pattern also commonly observed among older drivers. However, specific situations requiring stable gaze and spatial orientation pose particular challenges for individuals with BV. Findings are limited by self-reporting and small sample size. Future research using objective driving assessments and control groups is needed to inform evidence-based guidelines for counseling BV patients about driving.

Indexed as

Automobile DrivingBilateral VestibulopathySelf ReportAdultAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPilot ProjectsSurveys and QuestionnairesBilateral vestibulopathyDisease-specific questionsDriving abilityGeneric questions

Identifiers

PMID41622275

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.